Barcelona News: Wednesday 5th December

After intercepting hundreds of phone conversations by judicial order in the Caso Mercurio, the Spanish police turn up incriminating evidence against Socialist secretary, Daniel Fernández (read story here). Beginning late next year, tourists will have to pay between €5 and €10 in order to enter the Parc Guell (read story here). Leo Messi close to surpassing Gerd Müller's record (read story here)

El Periódico

December metro strikes cancelled after an agreement was reached between unions and the TMB, Barcelona's transit system (read story here). Free access for the unemployed to the Sagrada Familia on Wednesday's, from three in the afternoon onwards (read story here). Besse Cooper, the oldest person in the world according to The Guinness Book of World records, has died, at 116 years (read story here).

El Punt/Avui

As expected, the Catalan government rejects unanimously the plan of Spanish Education Minister, Jose Wert, to convert Catalan to an optional language in Catalunya's public schools. The government elect of the Generalitat promises to take the case to the Constitutional Tribunal should Wert's plan be approved. More interestingly, the Cousellor of Education in Catalunya, Irene Rigau, as well as the spokesman for the Generalitat, Francesc Homs, have expressed their firm intention to maintain the current parliamentary-approved education laws, which would be considered an act of insubmission, though neither of the two used that term (read story here).